FORTE 9 Documentation

Chord Suffix

Chord Suffix

In addition to root (and possible bass) pitches, every chord also has a suffix that further characterizes the chord. You can select from many common chord suffixes using the list, or you can "roll your own" if the desired chord does not appear among the list of choices.

The text field directly below the chord list provides a place for you to edit the name of the chord. As you select different options from the list the text updates to reflect the new selection.

The text field displays a special, unformatted version of the chord name. For many chords this value is exactly the same as the chord name displayed in the list. However, some chords (augmented, diminished, 7 flat 9, etc.) can be displayed using a special shorthand notation. For example, rather than writing out "dim" or "diminished" you can use the special symbol that takes less space on the page.

Special format characters (e.g. ^N, ^A, etc.) areUsed in the unformatted text field to indicate shorthand symbols in the chord. Click the small button next to the text field to display a popup menu. Select an item from the menu to add the appropriate formatting code. The chord example updates to show how the chord will actually appear in the music.

How it looks

Format character

Shortcut for...

^M

major

^N

minor

^A

augmented

^D

diminished

^R

minor-major

^S

Sharp or raised

^F

Flat or lowered

If you want symbols or text to appear as superscript at the end of the chord, enclose the text in brackets [ ].

Below are several example of the chord suffix as it appears in the music as well as the corresponding unformatted suffix: